Vow of a New Moon
by RobanCrow
Summary: InuYasha resolves to tell Kagome how he really feels, but can he do it?


Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or plot of InuYasha.  
  
Pairings: Inu and Kag, but not in lime or lemony fashion.  
  
A/N: InuYasha has an off day, so he's (just a little) OOC for part of it…  
  
Vow Of A New Moon  
  
I sat in silence watching the stars. The night was quiet, not sinister but for once, peaceful. The tree supporting me as I gazed out was spent. It held on to the last fragments of life and reached higher than any other. I chose this one to be closer to the endless shimmering sky. It had a haunting depth to it that, for the moment, had me ensnared.  
  
She had gone home for the weekend, but I wasn't in the mood to care. If life could stay like this, it didn't matter if she came back at all. That way, I could sit up here and have my childish dreams about her forever. Every moment we shared, be it real or in my fantasies, made me feel genuinely happy. Especially tonight, of all nights. It was a new moon. A night that I would otherwise loathe. It made me feel closer to her. To call her name was forbidden. It would shatter the heavenly silence. I don't think she knew. I had never told her. They were just three little words. Just words, but somehow I could never sound them out. This night, while the moon dared not shine and demon failed to course through my veins, I vowed that by the passing of the next new moon she would know.  
  
I sighed, lowering myself from branch to branch. It didn't take long before the lush green grass and the soft surface soils finally found contact against my bare feet. I sighed again. The air was so crisp and clean, bedazzling to my weakened sense of smell. I could hear the river not far off, trickling slowly downstream. I smiled sarcastically at the memory of a rainy afternoon when it flooded and I had made a fool of myself chasing a basket of apples that got conveniently washed away. It wasn't funny then, I mean we were all hungry, but she brought me to see the humor of it.  
  
I moseyed over to the log structure, destroyed by one of my brighter moments… Sit boy! I hate it when she does that to me. I couldn't stop the smile from spreading as I stared dumbly at it. I stepped out onto it, as it had been repaired shortly after, and lounged into a seated position. The water was as placid as the night.  
  
"What are you doing, InuYasha?" came Shippo's falsely innocent voice. I knew there was a brat in there somewhere, but it didn't usually show.  
  
"Thinking," I replied softly.  
  
"About what?" he pressed.  
  
"About eating you for dinner," I jested casually.  
  
He gave me a skeptical look, but figured that this time it meant nothing. I hadn't sounded angry.  
  
"Awww… Come on! You can tell me!" he pleaded.  
  
He caught me in a good mood. Okay, so maybe he had his cute moments… but he was still a little brat.  
  
"Kagome…" I purred.  
  
It didn't occur to me right away just how crazed my voice must have been. Shippo had one of those feral little 'I know too much' grins and was threatening to make good on that knowledge.  
  
"I knew it!" he cheered, "You do like Kagome!"  
  
I snickered slightly and laid back.  
  
"What's so funny?" he pouted.  
  
"Go back to bed, Shippo," I laughed.  
  
I couldn't help it. The scenario was just too unreal. Here I was holding a conversation with a little fox demon that could kill with that gag of innocence. I had just openly admitted that I had her on my mind. I must have been going crazy, but it felt right… so eerily pleasant…  
  
"InuYasha, you're starting to scare me…" he murmured.  
  
"Sorry, Ship, I've had too much air," I giggled.  
  
"How could you get too much air?" he questioned in disbelief.  
  
"Never mind," I sighed, finally ready to calm down, "Go to sleep."  
  
He made a goodnight comment, then headed back off to bed. I blinked, glancing back up at the sky.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Time went by way too fast. In a matter of hours, maybe even less, I would face the new moon again. I still hadn't told her, and I was running out of time. I promised myself that I would finally venture beyond this gate of fear and let her know exactly how I feel. I panicked. I wasn't ready to tell her yet!  
  
"InuYasha? What's wrong?" she inquired.  
  
"Nothing!" I growled, but I think she could tell I was lying.  
  
The sky was blanketed by thick black clouds. Every few seconds sheets of white light flickered across them. They had rolled in fast. This morning had been as clear as glass and I could gaze into infinity.  
  
"Oh yeah!" she noted, "Tonight's the new moon, is that what's bothering you?"  
  
"Don't remind me," I muttered.  
  
That was the problem alright, but she didn't know just to what extent… This was going to be trouble.  
  
"Don't worry about it," she coaxed, "Human or half-demon, we love you just the same."  
  
She said it! I mean she was referring to nothing more than friendship, but she actually uttered those words! How could she say them so casually? I couldn't tell her. I just couldn't happen. I broke away and scrambled off.  
  
"InuYasha!" she called after me, "Wait! Where are you going?!"  
  
Just our luck… The rain held above us finally began to fall, and it fell hard. I drummed against the earth and left a number of deep puddles. I wasn't having a good night. My transformation occurred and left me feeling awkward. What was I thinking? How could a human girl like her fall for a half-breed? She could never see me as anything more than a friend, if that. The only reason she's helping me gather the jewel shards was because it was her fault in that it broke in the first place. She didn't care about me! I picked up my pace. She would never catch up like this, and I didn't want her to.  
  
A slick of mud got in my way. I slipped and lost balance, but luckily landed on solid, less degrading, ground. I grumbled in a sigh as I sat up. Oddly enough, she must have managed to keep up. Only seconds after wiping the rainwater from my eyes, she fell in.  
  
"Smooth move, Kagome!" I mocked.  
  
"Speak for yourself!" she rebutted, noticing my position.  
  
"Well I was going to tell you I love you," I barked back, "But you can just forget about it now!"  
  
Wonderful.  
  
That was the worst way to get it out. I tried to hide my mistake in an angry expression, but she wasn't convinced. She looked a little shocked from my declaration, but then again so was I. There was a long embarrassing silence between us. Anything said now would have to be stupid.  
  
"InuYasha?" she murmured.  
  
"Kagome… I…" I began brokenly.  
  
Maybe I could do it. Maybe, for the first time, I could admit to her that she wasn't just some tool for detecting the jewel shards. She edged closer, her eyes delving into mine. I leaned back to escape her gaze, and ended up pinning myself. I hate those conveniently placed trees, rocks… baskets of apples… Convenient for her. She crawled over me. I couldn't say it if she wasn't going to give me room to breathe.  
  
"I…" I attempted a second time.  
  
She put a hand on my cheeks and planted a kiss on my lips.  
  
"Kagome?!" I exclaimed.  
  
"Me too, InuYasha," she replied softly.  
  
Her lips were so soft and warm, I had to do it again. I threw my arms around her and savagely returned the favor. We were cold, wet and dirty, but none of that mattered. She knew. I kept my vow, and I didn't even have to say those three little words.  
  
Kagome… I love you.  
  
A/N: Is it worth reviewing? Short and sweet, not something I particularly enjoy writing, but the idea was there. 


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